


Odd One

by ManaBanana



Category: Naruto
Genre: Gaara is weird but he's trying, M/M, how do you tell a boy you like him when you're barely figuring out feelings?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-01-07 11:35:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18409820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ManaBanana/pseuds/ManaBanana
Summary: Gaara is a little bit weird, but Lee likes him anyway.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It's me again.
> 
> I love, love, love the idea of weird Gaara. He's really trying to be nice and caring and better at expressing himself, but he's still learning. So, he's like... very strange in this lol. Luckily Lee just takes everything and runs with it.
> 
> Enjoy!

Gaara was just beginning his induction ceremony for his position as Kazekage. Since Konoha considered Suna their allies, it was decided a small team would be sent to show support for their new leader. And that team was Team Gai.

Lee had become incredibly fascinated with Gaara. He was proud of his growth, glad he could see him making strides to become a better, more complete version of himself. 

He watched the elaborate process as village elders swathed Gaara in ceremonial robes that were much too large for him. The sleeves covered his hands and he had to hold his robes up to avoid tripping on them as he walked. It was almost endearing, seeing this boy holding up fistfuls of fabric as he prepared to accept the position as a village leader. The visual proved to these people who used to scorn his name that Gaara wasn't a weapon, or a disgrace, or a monster.

He was fifteen. He was a child.

When the ceremony concluded, the council hosted a formal dinner where Gaara was placed at a large front table with his two siblings. The people of Suna were invited to come speak to him as they pleased and the dinner served as a means for Gaara to socialize while council members supervised. 

Lee glanced around the hall and nervously pulled at the high collar of his coat.

“What's your deal?” Tenten said next to him. The ornaments in her hair glinted under the expensive light fixture hanging above their table. Her eyebrows pinched together in concern.

“W-what? Nothing!” Lee waved a defensive hand. He stole another glance at Gaara's table. Gaara's hands were placed one over the other, the sleeves from his robes covering his fingertips. Temari reached out to pull his shirtsleeve up from where it began to slide off his shoulder.

“Are you looking at the Kazekage?!” She looked in the same direction and Lee pulled her away.

“Don't be so obvious!” he whispered haughtily. Gai shot the two of them a look. Neji rolled his eyes. “He just looks… so lonely.”

“He has his siblings,” Tenten remarked.

“No, I mean… none of the villagers are coming to talk to him,” Lee mused. He flicked at a stray piece of hair that fell away from its slicked position.

Tenten shoveled a massive bite of food into her mouth. “Then you go talk to him,” she said in a muffled voice.

Lee couldn't help but think of how much Gaara had changed since their last encounter. He had saved his life and escorted him back to the village. He considered Gaara his friend.

Lee's mouth curved downward into its usually determined turtle-like pout. The chair skidded as he pushed himself to standing and made his way over to Gaara, perhaps swinging his arms and legs too widely as he moved.

A couple of nearby Anbu jumped on the defensive. Lee happened to catch a glimpse of their feet burying into sand that grasped softly around their ankles. He immediately recognized this as Gaara's sand and relaxed.

When he reached the table, Gaara looked up at him, the black rims around his eyes accentuating their already large size. He tucked a long piece of his auburn hair behind his ear. The waves in his hair were certainly more defined than the last time they met. He offered Lee the tiniest smile from where he sat.

“Hello, Gaa--ahh… Kazekage-sama.” Lee rubbed the back of his neck.

“Hello, Lee.” Gaara tilted his head to the side, eyes trained to Lee's thick eyebrows. “Nice to see you out of the hospital for once.”

Lee wasn't sure what to say to that. He offered a weak smile and pushed his hair back needlessly, hoping his eyebrows weren't too much of a distraction from the conversation. He had Tenten clean them up before they left for Suna, but their thickness was still unmatched. Especially now that his forehead was exposed.

“I like your head shape,” Gaara said. He didn't break eye contact, just stared straight at Lee, practically boring holes into his face.

“Um, thank you… sir,” Lee said. Kankuro let out a slight laugh that he disguised as a cough. Temari shot him a look.

“Yes.” Gaara nodded thoughtfully.

He glanced at the Anbu around them and returned the sand to his gourd, certain they weren't going to harm Lee. He looked between his siblings and stood up. He pressed his lips into a thin line, making his chubby cheeks look softer than they were. Gaara placed an arm on Kankuro's shoulder to get his attention, draping the long, white fabric over him. “I'm tired. I want to go home.”

“It's been twenty minutes,” Kankuro sighed.

Temari joined in on his other side. “Gaara, you've hardly eaten.”

Gaara didn't like that response. He turned to his sister and spoke brazenly. “I'm the Kazekage. I can do what I want. And I want to go home.”

He blocked his siblings off with a wall of sand and childishly crawled underneath the table. The two of them sighed as the Anbu looked on, confused by the strange display. Lee turned to the villagers who surrounded the hall, but they were too busy talking amongst themselves and reveling in the nature of the party, to see what was going on.

Lee turned back and sighed. He pulled at the tablecloth and exposed a small, curled up Gaara. Lee opted to do what he wished someone else would do for him, so he dropped to his knees and crawled under the table with Gaara. He pulled the cloth down and smoothed it out to cover them from the party. The wall of sand was dense behind them and the glow of the warm lights peered through the thin fabric.

Gaara pulled at the long robes that he was drowning in and wrapped them around his body. Lee smiled.

“Hello, Kazekage-sama,” Lee tried. He scooted a little closer and was surprised when he felt Gaara lean his head against his shoulder. The wispy, red hair that sprung off his head tickled Lee's chin.

“I don't want to be here,” he pouted. “How does a dinner party make the village a better place?”

Lee nodded thoughtfully. It was a rhetorical question, but he at least wanted to show Gaara he was on the same page. He'd never seen Gaara sulk before, so this was definitely interesting. But he knew Gaara needed support.

Piles of fabric pressed against Lee's crossed legs as Gaara spilled into his lap. A small sigh escaped from his lips. Lee pressed a reassuring hand to his back and rubbed softly for a few minutes while they sat under the table. The sounds of the party only grew louder and the siblings had ventured from the table to interact with villagers on Gaara's behalf.

“Do you want to go?” Gaara asked.

“Hm?” Lee leaned forward to look at his face. 

Gaara looked up, pulling his squished cheek away from where it rested against Lee's knee. He pushed himself up and repeated the question. “Do you want to go?”

Lee cocked his head to the side. “Where?”

Gaara placed a pensive finger to his chin. He let out a tiny “oh” and covered Lee's face with the long sleeves of his robes as the two were enveloped in his Sand Transportation jutsu. A muffled yelp sounded from Lee's mouth and before he knew it, the two of them were in the cold desert, bathed in moonlight.

Lee pulled away panting. “What the heck?!”

Unfazed, Gaara stood up and called the sand back into his gourd. “You were going to get sand in your…” he gestured toward Lee's face, “... orifices.”

Lee squinted at the word choice. “You could have warned me!”

“Sorry,” he mumbled, pulling up the robes so they rested in his arms like a heap of laundry.

Suddenly feeling bad for his outburst, Lee bent forward and bowed. “Forgive me, Kazekage-sama. I didn't mean to raise my voice.”

“I thought it would be faster.”

Lee thought this over. It definitely was faster and at this point, he had no idea where they were or how far from the party they ended up. But he offered a smile. “A stealth mission would have been better training.”

“Stealth is futile when you can use a jutsu.” Gaara walked through the sand, halting slightly when he realized the implication of his words. He didn't turn to face Lee when he spoke. “Sorry.”

“Quite alright!” Lee offered a thumbs-up and a wide grin, even though Gaara couldn't see it. He hoped he'd at least feel the gesture. The heaps of fabric in Gaara's arms began to tumble forward, but he commanded the sand around them to catch it. “Do you need help?”

Gaara didn't say anything. He looked up at Lee and let the fabric fall to the ground. A cloud of sand burst around it from the impact, dust clinging to the edges of his ornate robes

Lee took this as a confirmation. He pulled a spool of gauze, generally used for his bandages, from his inner coat pocket and ripped off a piece. He ruffled the fabric of the robes and bunched it up, tying it securely so Gaara wouldn't trip. It resembled an unattractive bustle, but Gaara gave a small smile when he realized he could freely move his legs. He bounced up and down, assuring the tie was secure and shifted closer to Lee. He pulled Lee's arm closer to his body and held it for a few seconds before letting it fall back to Lee's side. Maybe that was his way of hugging him.

“Thank you,” he whispered, rolling his sleeves up. Lee helped him with the process.

“Mhm!” Lee walked alongside Gaara, who stared down at his feet. He didn't talk a whole lot, but he seemed a lot less on edge. 

Lee found himself struggling to walk properly in the uneven sand and let out a slight laugh. “You make walking in sand look so easy.”

Gaara didn't say anything to this and simply straightened the sand to form a pathway, hovering a hand beside Lee. Lee took this as an indication that Gaara wanted to hold hands and laced their fingers together. He suddenly lost his footing, accidentally interrupting Gaara's handiwork.

“I was straightening it,” Gaara said. It came out so matter-of-factly, Lee didn't catch the meaning. But Gaara didn't let go of his hand.

“Huh?” Lee corrected his posture and looked down at Gaara.

“The sand. I was trying to help.”

Lee turned to see the trail of undisturbed sand that lied behind them. The puzzle pieces clicked together in his brain and he felt awkward having misinterpreted. “Ohhh! Gosh, I'm sorry!” He stumbled over his words. “Thank you! I… I didn't know! Here, let me--” Lee tried to pull his hand away.

“No,” Gaara squeezed his fingers tightly. “I like it.” Lee could have sworn his cheeks turned pink. “I can use my other hand.”

Lee squeezed back. “Okay!”

They walked through the desert, hand in hand, while Gaara continued straightening the sand pathway for Lee. They walked for several uninterrupted minutes until Lee heard a curious, airy sound. He turned to Gaara and realized it was a small laugh.

“What are you laughing at?” he asked with a grin.

“You wanna feel something weird?” Gaara's usual straight expression returned.

“Okay,” Lee obliged.

“I can shift the sand armor away from my palm. It's really gross, watch.” Gaara gave Lee a tiny smile as a rough, sandpapery feeling grazed the inside of his palm. He felt his hackles go up as the sand armor swirled away from Gaara's hand, exposing the soft, warm flesh underneath. It was hard to believe that Gaara's already soft hands were even softer now. 

But he was right. It was kind of gross. 

Lee looked down at their joined hands and noticed from the wrist down, the coloration of Gaara's skin was almost caramel.

“Whoa! Is that your hand without the armor?” Lee pulled their hands closer so he could see them in the moonlight. The skin underneath was incredibly smooth but it was almost… moist from being encased in so much of the armor. Either that or Gaara just had really sweaty hands.

“Yeah.”

“For real? Your skin is so beautiful!” He paused for a moment. “How come you cover it with the armor?”

“Desert sun,” was Gaara's clipped response. He looked up at Lee's exposed forehead. “You cover your forehead. And your eyebrows.”

Lee smiled, pressing light fingers to his skin. “That is true.”

Gaara didn't have much more to say. 

They walked in silence for awhile until they came upon a small patch of cacti growing in coarser sand. Lee felt a tug at his hand as Gaara moved closer to it. He knelt down, the tied edges of his robes just barely dipping into the sand. Lee hoped he wouldn't get in trouble for getting such expensive-looking robes so dirty.

He poked at one of the spiny cacti. Sand was quick to block Gaara's fingers from the touch, protecting him as it always did. He looked to Lee and smiled.

“You are very strange,” Lee said. He didn't mean anything by it.

“You are, too. You shape your eyebrows differently when you're just going to dinner and your coat isn't tailored right,” Gaara said bluntly. He gave Lee a once-over and returned to the task of trying to poke the cactus. “My brother could probably fix it for you. He sews.”

“Oh. That would be nice,” Lee said. He poked at the sand around them, dragging his fingers along in abstract patterns. Then he spoke, as an afterthought, “I think if we lived in the same village as little kids, we would have been friends.”

Gaara stood up after awhile and glanced around the barren desert. His hand slipped from Lee's. For a moment, Lee thought he had said something wrong. He wiped his hands on his coat, preparing to apologize when Gaara disrupted his thoughts.

“I like you,” he said.

“I like you, too,” Lee patted Gaara's shoulder in a friendly manner, but Gaara pushed it away.

“Not in a friendly way.” Gaara looked up at the stars for a moment, deep in thought. “I would like to spend more time with you.”

“Really?” Lee found that hard to believe. But he appreciated it nonetheless. He began to develop feelings for Gaara after he had saved his life, but struggled with the prospect of never being able to confess those feelings in person. “But you are the Kazekage now… we could not possibly make that work.”

Gaara shook his head. “I will ask the council if you are suitable for my courtship.” The sand pulled Lee's hand in, so Gaara could encase it in his own. They continued their walk. 

“Courtship?” Lee blanched.

Gaara whipped around to face him. He huffed. “Yes. It's a process. We spend time together and see if we will be compatible marriage partners.”

“Marriage?!” Lee shouted. His mind was racing with a million thoughts. “With me? Really? You… you just became Kazekage! And you could marry anyone you wanted! Would you not want someone who…” His voice quieted. “... looked less weird?”

His eyes narrowed. “I don't make stupid decisions.”

Lee tried to say more, but Gaara left it at that. They walked through the desert and quietly made their way back to the party.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee comes back to Suna

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of people seemed to really like weird Gaara and I had some folks ask about a possible part 2, so here it is!
> 
> Thank you to DrChickenSlinger (as usual) for helping me come up with ideas for this. Check out some of their fics bc they're so fucking pure.
> 
> Enjoy~

Lee found himself in Suna mere months later. The Konoha-Suna alliance needed some strengthening and the respective Kages had put in requests to send some of their chunin and jonin on joint missions together. Fortunately for Lee, Gaara had put in a special request for his team to go on the first mission.

Lee was beyond excited. So excited that Gai had challenged him to a race, so he wouldn't affect his teammates with all of his pent up energy. By the time the four of them reached Suna, they had bested Gai's personal record and all of them were finding it difficult to keep their legs from shaking with fatigue. 

Lee saw this as another form of training. That only made Neji mad.

After passing through the village's main entrance, the team was escorted to the Kazekage's office, where they would be given their briefing before heading to their personal guest house to rest. Lee's eyes drooped with every step, his mind drifting back to the idea of sleep as soon as the word was uttered from their escort's mouth. When they reached the Kazekage's office, Lee noticed a familiar face that immediately pulled him from his sleepy state. And that face noticed him, too.

Gaara sat at his desk, both siblings at his sides, reflective of the last time Lee had seen him at the dinner party for his induction. It had only been a few months, but Gaara had changed remarkably. His cheeks weren't quite as soft, his hair had grown longer, and the dark circles around his eyes were more pronounced. He straightened considerably when Lee entered the room. If Lee hadn't been as tired as he was, he could have sworn Gaara bounced in his seat.

Lee had changed, too. Having kept up with his training regimen, his muscles had gained some definition, his face had grown sharper, and he was a little bit taller. Only a brief moment was shared--a small smile between them, before Gaara got right back to work.

The meeting hadn't lasted long, but given the fatigue Lee was facing, it may as well have dragged on for hours. His only saving grace was stealing the occasional glance at Gaara amongst the shinobi that filled his office. He had gained a new sense of professionalism and spoke with a formality Lee had never seen on him before.

“Thank you,” Gaara said once the briefing had reached its conclusion. He gave a light wave of his arms. “Dismissed.”

The Suna shinobi had left in an instant, likely returning home to make preparations before setting out the next day. It was only noon, but Lee was already begging to head to the guest house so sleep could take him. He did want to say hello to Gaara first.

“Alright, let's head out!” Gai called to his students, gesturing for them to follow him.

“Gai-sensei,” Lee replied. He suddenly felt embarrassed. “Um… may I have one moment please? I would like to speak to the Kazekage.”

There was an odd glint in Gai's eyes before the tears began to flow. He whispered something under his breath about “the throes of Lee's undying and interminable youth” before agreeing to it. Tenten and Neji guided him out, both of them eager to get a nap in. Gai made Lee promise him that he would do a hundred laps around the village upon his return for taking early leisure time with the Kazekage. Lee obliged, of course.

When he turned back to Gaara's desk, the siblings were already gone and he was nose to nose with Gaara. 

Or rather, nose to forehead. Gaara hadn't grown much since their last encounter. 

“Oh! Hello, Kazekage-sama!” Lee said, jumping back slightly.

“Call me by my name,” he replied flatly. “You are my betrothed.”

“O-oh… right,” Lee laughed. 

He wasn't sure if Gaara was joking the last time they met, but hadn't stopped thinking about their potential engagement ever since. Did Gaara really want to marry someone like him? He had so many questions! From what he had heard, a male Kage had never married another man before, at least in Konoha. Was that even allowed? Was that something Suna allowed? As far as he knew the Kazekage had to have a baby so he could eventually have a successor. How were they going to have kids?

“I would like to touch you now,” Gaara said. He stared up at Lee and opened his arms a little.

“Oh! Okay.” Lee wrapped his arms around Gaara's shoulders and hugged him. Gaara turned his head to rest it against Lee's shoulder and lightly put his arms around his middle.

“Mm. Very nice,” he mumbled as he pulled away. He placed a thoughtful finger to his chin and looked back up at Lee. “I’m still new to hugs.”

“That's okay!” Lee grinned. They stood in a contented silence for a few moments until Lee spoke up again. He reached for Gaara's hand and was surprised to see him take it so eagerly. “I haven't seen you in so long. I have a bit of time if you would like to--”

Gaara gasped slightly as he squeezed Lee's hand. “Yes, yes.”

He laughed. “Okay! What would you like to do?”

Gaara's brow scrunched up as he thought. “I have recently grown acclimated with napping culture.”

Lee's tired body was more than grateful to hear that. He wanted nothing more than to return to his guest house and sleep. “Oh, really?”

He nodded. “The desert is extra hot at noon, so it's about napping time around here. And all my meetings are done for the rest of today.”

“That sounds relaxing. The perfect time for a nap.”

Gaara looked back at Lee, a slightly irritated look in his eyes. “I know. I want you to nap with me.”

“You what?”

“Yes,” Gaara answered, slightly annoyed that Lee wasn't getting the hint. “I have taken our courtship into my own hands before bringing it up to the council. We should see if we are compatible napping partners.”

There was a lot to unpack there…

Lee couldn't believe what he was hearing. Gaara hadn't said anything yet?!

“It's fine,” Gaara said. But it wasn't very reassuring. “Let's go.”

Lee was too tired to argue or figure out Suna customs and courtship practices, so he obliged. He bent down so Gaara could cover his face in his Kage robes before they were encased in his Sand Transportation jutsu.

When they emerged, they were in a sparsely decorated room that no doubt belonged to Gaara. There were small plants that dotted the windowsills, a desk, and a bookshelf. Lee's eyes fell on the massive bed that lied against the wall, nearly three times the size of his bed at home. The sheets were stretched so taut around the mattress that Lee wasn't sure it had ever been used before. Nearly half the bed was covered with finely embroidered pillows, their softness becoming more enticing the longer Lee stared.

“Let's go,” Gaara said, taking Lee's hand in his own. He crawled onto the bed and fluffed up some of the pillows, making extra space for the two of them to lie next to each other. 

Lee hesitantly sat on the bed, taking great care in not getting too close for fear that a hidden Anbu might come out and attack him for getting too close to their Kazekage. But the softness of the bed pulled him in, making his heavy eyes grow even heavier.

Gaara lined pillows alongside the two of them as they lied down and continued fluffing. “I like to put the pillows all around me and pretend I'm floating in clouds. Like I'm dead and I've… ascended.”

Lee glanced down at the soft comforter underneath them. “Do you not use your blankets?”

“Hm?” Gaara turned to face him. “What do you mean?”

“When you take a nap.” He patted the bed. “Do you not put your blankets on?”

“... No?” Gaara looked a little bit frustrated that there was an entirely different method of napping he was missing out on. He looked down at the comforter. “I didn't know it came off.”

“Oh! Do you mind if we lift it? Please don't feel like we have to--”

“Show me.”

They sat up and lifted the covers back, and Lee was more than pleased to feel how weighted the blanket was. He loved being wrapped in a soft, heavy blanket when he was extra sleepy, so this really sweetened the deal. Lee crawled inside with Gaara and sighed as soon as the blanket draped across them both.

As soon as Lee got comfortable, he felt Gaara reaching for his hand over the blanket. He held his hand and let his eyes slip shut, not noticing Gaara staring up at the ceiling next to him, stiff as a board. Before he could tumble into sleep, he heard Gaara speak up.

“What are dreams, Lee?”

He cracked a tired eye open and turned to face Gaara. “... Mmmwhat? Huh…?”

“Do you have dreams? My brother told me he doesn't dream.” Gaara's eyes remained fixated on the ceiling.

Lee angled his body to face him a little better. “I dream sometimes. Do you?”

Gaara shook his head. “I can't sleep or else the demon possessing my body will wreak havoc on the village.”

Lee wasn't sure if that was a joke or not. But he was starting to get an exhaustion headache, so he didn't say anything.

“It sounds nice. Dreams. Sleep.” He turned his head to look at Lee. “Sometimes the demon tries to do it when I'm awake, so I write down what he says and read it back to him just to let him know it doesn't scan.”

Lee's eyebrows pinched together in confusion.

“I learned about writing my thoughts down in therapy,” Gaara continued, paying no mind to the confused, sleepy Lee on his side. “So I have a diary for both me and him. You should hear some of the plans he has, they are incredibly unsound.”

“I am sure they are, Gaara,” Lee mumbled sleepily.

Gaara shifted next to him and slid something out from under the pillows that Lee couldn't see. He rustled something around that sounded like pages of a book. Lee wasn't sure. He was trying to take a nap, like Gaara had promised. He drifted off as Gaara went on.

“He calls it ‘Shukaku's Manifesto.’” Gaara continued, leafing through the pages with his free hand. “It's a bit contrived if you ask me. But this is the condensed version. I mean, step one is immediate eradication of the city. Not even the people. Why would your first plan of action be to destroy our resources? The whole thing is completely ludicrous.”

Lee felt light fingers gently pushing against his arm. “Lee? Please pay attention when I'm talking.”

“Hm…? I'm sorry,” Lee said quietly. He did his best to open his eyes as he squeezed Gaara's hand a little tighter. “I thought you wanted to take a nap?”

“I am taking a nap!” he snapped.

Lee paused. Someone probably lied to him because Gaara clearly didn't know what happened during a nap behind closed doors.

“But you're not sleeping.”

“I'm lying down,” Gaara countered.

That was true. But Lee really wanted to sleep. Especially with all the pillows surrounding him in such a roomy bed. 

“You know what might help?” Lee asked. “Cuddles.”

Gaara's mouth dropped open into an ‘o’ shape. “I had a bear named Mr. Cuddles.”

“Well, then we are going to channel his spirit and cuddle away.” He let go of Gaara's hand and scooted his body closer until they were shoulder to shoulder. “Have you ever cuddled before?”

Gaara shook his head.

“Well. We sort of just hug while we sleep. We can go to a nice dream together and we'll hug there, too,” Lee explained. He was hesitant to scoot closer before asking. “Would that be okay with you?”

He nodded. Lee moved accordingly, gently positioning Gaara on his side. He threw an arm over Gaara's back and held him close, to give him an affectionate squeeze. Gaara let out a tiny gasp, which made Lee loosen his grip.

“Are you okay?”

“Warm…” Gaara said softly, mostly to himself. He snaked his arm under Lee's to hug him back as he nuzzled his face into Lee's chest.

“Are you comfy?” Lee asked. He felt Gaara nod into his chest and held him slightly tighter, careful not to squeeze too hard.

After a few minutes of silence, Lee felt his eyes fall shut again and was grateful that sleep could finally take them both. All thoughts began to drift from his mind… until he heard a soft muffled sound against his chest.

“Hm…?” he managed to say. It was getting harder to open his eyes.

“I said ‘how is Konoha?’” Gaara repeated, pulling away slightly so Lee could hear him better.

“Konoha is fine. I will tell you more when we wake up,” he answered. 

He was getting kind of irritated, but did his best not to show it. This was strange for Lee. Gaara never talked this much. Usually he kept to himself and stayed quiet as he observed his surroundings. He was the type of person who spoke only when spoken to. It made Lee feel terrible. He really wanted to hear what Gaara had to say, but he was so tired, he didn't want to deter him from talking in case he fell asleep.

“But I want to know now. It's been a long time since I last saw Naruto… and what ever happened with that Sasuke--”

“We can talk more about it later, okay?” Lee paused for a moment; in case Gaara wasn't getting it, he added, “I'm really tired.”

Gaara didn't say anything. He repositioned himself to snuggle a bit closer to Lee.

“Are you gonna sleep long?” he asked quietly.

“I dunno,” Lee replied, readjusting his head against one of several pillows. “Sometimes naps go long, sometimes they don't.”

“Oh… Lee?” 

Lee let out a slightly irritated sigh. “What, Gaara?”

“... Nevermind.”

Lee immediately felt awful. He sighed again and rubbed small circles across Gaara's back to comfort him.

“Gaara… I'm sorry.” He pressed his nose to his hair. “I'm sorry. I'm just… really sleepy. My team and I spent so long traveling and when you said you wanted to nap, I thought… I'm sorry.”

Gaara pressed his face even closer, like he was trying to hide in Lee's chest. “I can't sleep.”

“Are you not sleepy?” Lee's voice softened. His hand moved up to tangle itself in the thick, red waves of Gaara's hair.

“Shukaku won't let me, remember? I told you that,” he said.

Lee nodded. He ran his fingers through Gaara's hair absentmindedly. “Well, go ahead and try, okay? I'll fight him off if he tries to hurt you.”

“Really?” Gaara pulled away to look at Lee, eyes lit up. Lee smiled wide at him.

“Of course! Nobody hurts my betrothed!” Lee exclaimed. He pulled his busy hand away to give Gaara his signature thumbs-up. It looked a little silly while he was lying down, but Gaara gave him the tiniest smile anyway. He crawled back into Lee's open arms. They got more comfortable as Lee whispered against his scalp, “I refuse to let anything bad happen to you while you sleep.”

Gaara hugged him tight around his middle. With a slight tilt of his head, he pressed his lips against the underside of Lee's chin. It was more of a graze than a kiss, but the action in itself nearly made Lee cry.

“You promise?” Gaara asked.

“I promise.” Lee sniffled as he curled his body tight around him, wrapping Gaara in the strongest embrace he could manage. “Now let's go to sleep, okay?”

“Okay.”

Within a matter of seconds, the two allowed themselves to sink further into the bed and closer to each other as they drifted off. With Lee protecting him, Gaara managed to fall asleep quickly, no evident signs of impending danger surrounding him. The two slept soundly underneath the weighted blanket, buried under several large, fluffy pillows, and wrapped in each other's warmth. Lee fell asleep smiling, knowing that when he woke up, he would be right next to his future husband.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee and Tenten get a strange visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's more Weird Boy Gaara. I have come to cherish him as my own.
> 
> He's really trying, y'all.
> 
> Enjoy~

About a month after Lee's joint mission in Suna, he trained even harder than ever before. He would often enter the training grounds, sending posts sailing with his kicks and practice with a vigor he hadn't managed before. Sometimes he would spar with Tenten and occasionally Neji, if he felt up to the task. Lee wasn't sure what was up, but he was starting to think it had something to do with Gaara.

He decided to voice his concerns to Tenten.

"So… what's up with you two?" Tenten asked, sitting on the grass, trying to catch her breath after a particularly strenuous sparring match.

Lee put a pensive finger to his chin as he glanced up at the sky. Truthfully he hadn't heard from Gaara since he was last in Suna, but he couldn't stop thinking about him, whether it was through his workouts or during meals. Lee often recalled the nap they took together, craving the soft intimacy of having Gaara in his arms while he slept. It would be nice to hear from him now and again, but he hadn't been Kazekage for long and Lee supposed he was just too busy.

"I'm… not sure," Lee finally admitted. "We don't talk very much, but I think he really wants me to marry him."

Tenten's eyes may as well have bugged out of her head. "What?!"

"Yeah." Lee nodded. He paused for a second to take a swig of water before turning back to his friend. "I thought I told you that?"

She sputtered as she tried to find the words. "Yes, you… I mean--I didn't think… I thought you were joking!"

"Tenten!" Lee's eyebrows furrowed as he gave her a furious pout. "Why would I joke about something as serious as that?"

She blinked at him, searching his angry turtle-like expression for any indication he was still being untruthful. Once she decided he was being honest, she shrugged and shook her head, making her bangs swish with the movement. 

"I don't know, Lee. It's just." She looked up, trying to decide what exactly she was trying to say. "He's just so…"

"Handsome?" Lee sighed.

She gave him a quizzical look. "I was gonna say uptight. Stiff? Kind of cryptic?"

Lee's eyes brightened despite the lack of positive descriptors Tenten chose to use. "But I like that about him! Yes, he is a bit strange, but… he is nice to me. He actually has a lot to say once you get to know him." He paused. "And I'm sure being such a young political figure gets kind of lonely."

Tenten made a face before clapping a hand to Lee's shoulder. She put her other hand out for the water bottle and Lee promptly handed it over.

"As long as he makes you happy," she said. She began to put the bottle to her lips, but pulled it away just as fast to provide an afterthought, "I suppose it would strengthen the Konoha-Suna alliance."

Lee nodded thoughtfully as Tenten drank. She used her forearm to wipe her mouth and handed the water bottle back as they both stared off, mindlessly picking at the grass next to them. Lee sighed as his mind drifted back to Gaara, wondering how he was doing in Suna. He glanced up at the sky and something happened to catch his eye. It looked like… a bird? It soared over him and Tenten, casting a shadow much larger than the birds he was used to seeing in Konoha. He squinted up at the sky and as it descended, he realized it wasn't just a regular bird. It was a hawk. Not just any hawk. The unmistakable pouch it carried proved it was a Suna messenger hawk. It didn't appear to be headed toward the Hokage tower and instead made its landing on one of the training posts across from Lee and Tenten.

They exchanged glances and looked back at the hawk.

"Wrong way," Lee called, cupping his hands around his mouth unnecessarily. His voice was plenty loud. He pointed in the direction of the Hokage tower. "Tsunade-sama is that way!"

The bird screeched back at him. Tenten nudged his arm.

"I think it's here for you," she whispered, as if the bird could suddenly understand what she was saying.

"Me?!" Lee looked between the two in confusion before pushing himself to standing. He pulled at Tenten's wrist to get her to follow him as they cautiously approached the hawk. Once they were standing in front of the post where it was perched, Lee looked at the pouch, then into the bird's fierce eyes. "Is there something for me in there?"

The bird ruffled its feathers and turned around so Lee could see the pouch more clearly.

"Is that a yes?" he asked.

The bird screeched again in return, likely annoyed that Lee didn't understand what it wanted.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry!" 

Lee bowed quickly and reached for the pouch to pull out a small sealed scroll with his name marked clearly on the side, along with a stamp indicating it was from the Kazekage. It was hard to tell if it was intentional or not, but he liked to think the tiny splotch at the end of his name was a heart. Tenten glanced at him as a smile began to stretch across his face.

He flushed as he looked back at the bird. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't have much to offer you."

The bird turned around and stared him down.

"I'm sorry!" he said.

Deciding it didn't want to be bothered by Lee's frequent apologies, the hawk spread its wings and took flight, soaring high into the sky before it became merely a dot against the clouds.

Tenten cleared her throat. "Well? Aren't you gonna open it?"

"Oh!" Lee fumbled with the scroll he was nervously twirling, nearly dropping it to the ground. "That's right!"

He glanced at the seal and scrunched up his face as he felt familiar pinpricks in his eyes just before they began to well up with tears. Lee scratched at the scroll, attempting to pry it open, but to no avail.

"It's stuck!" he whined. A tear streamed down his cheek. He looked at Tenten helplessly as he struggled. "What if something happened to him?" More tears came as he fumbled with the scroll. "Tenten, what do I do? What if he's hurt?"

"Lee! Give it to me! If he was hurt, he'd probably contact someone who didn't live three days of travel away!" she said, holding her hand out, obviously the voice of reason. Lee sniffled and handed her the scroll. She quickly examined it before letting out a deep sigh. "There's a seal on it. One second."

She quickly used a hand sign and pressed her palm to the scroll. The seal vanished immediately and Lee swiped it up with no hesitation.

He all but tore the scroll open, revealing Gaara's thin, slanted script, and scanned its contents. He ended up having to read it several times, as his overexcitement got the best of him and he ended up skimming the letter so fast, he didn't take the time to register exactly what it said. But he ended up sobbing even harder with each read:

_My Betrothed,_

_Hello Lee. It has been a long time. I suppose that's how it works though. Time. Oh well. Please envision me shrugging here (shrug). Kankuro (my brother) taught me that. It is very non-committal. I like that._

_I have been hoping to see you again. I envision you in my brain frequently. Oh, Temari (my sister) has just informed me this is called "missing" someone. I suppose in a way that makes sense, as you are presently missing from my life. She is standing right next to me at my desk. She told me to send you her regards, however I think she is just being polite. Had you any siblings, I am sure you would share my sentiments. Anyway. I miss you, Lee. I hope you are well. I hope your friends are also well, but if they are not, I don't care so much. I do not wish to be rude, but I feel our courtship must be honest and straightforward._

_Speaking of which, I brought up our courtship to the council. They told me it was a bit soon for me to marry (even though I did not ask to marry, merely to be courted) and that I may want to look into courting some women from foreign villages to form stronger alliances. Little do they know I cannot be swayed. I am the Kazekage. I do not want to court, I want to be courted. It looks quite fun. I think we would have fun together, you and I. I will mark down my Suna marital status as "?" for now._

_I miss you. I like those words. They are very nice._

_I still don't sleep, but I do sometimes go to my room and lie under the blanket like you showed me. I hug one of my pillows and pretend it's you. I quite enjoyed that afternoon even though I know you think I talk too much during naps, but I will not apologize for it. There are some things about a person you just cannot change._

_Please come visit soon. I would like to see your shiny hair again and I think it would be great if you could show me how to do your "nice guy" pose. The villagers may see me as more approachable. I attempted a smile with them recently. With teeth. It did not go well. They do not sparkle like yours do._

_Anyway, my meeting is coming up. I can't talk about it, even to my future spouse. I am sure you understand. I miss you and I would like to see you soon. Please write back. I am sending a hawk. He will be waiting for you until the end of the day._

_Love,  
Gaara (The Kazekage and also your betrothed, in case you forgot)_

_P.S. Temari told me to sign this with "love." I thought it was a bold choice. Let me know if it's too strong._

Lee smiled impossibly wide and wiped the tears that were freely falling from his face. He looked at Tenten excitedly and hugged her tight, sobbing and thanking her for opening the scroll for him so he could read what he considered Gaara's beautiful words.

"Okay, okay!" she said. Deciding prying an emotional Lee off of her wasn't a very smart move, Tenten patted him softly until he pulled away of his own volition. "You're welcome."

"Tenten, Gaara is serious!" he half-shouted. "He said he misses me and his courtship decision is final! He wants to marry me, Tenten! I am so happy!"

"That's great, Lee," she said.

"I have to write him back! We will resume our training tomorrow!" he shouted. He hugged her tight again before sprinting off to his apartment at breakneck speed.

When Lee finally arrived at his house, adrenaline pumping so fast, he hardly realized he was out of breath, he pulled out a few sheets of stationery Tenten had once gifted him, glad he could finally get good use out of them. He grabbed a pen and began furiously scribbling a note back to Gaara:

_My Dearest Gaara,_

_It is so nice to hear from you! I am so glad you have managed to find a bit of time to send your beautiful words over to me! Although, I must admit that it was a bit difficult to open your letter, as I cannot effectively use hand signs to open it! This is not your fault, as I know you have a very busy schedule and sometimes things like that are easy to forget! Tenten helped me open it! If the seal was made of a strong material I could break open with my taijutsu skills, I think it would make for excellent training!_

_I must say I miss you, too, my cherished one! I miss your youthful, wavy hair and your piercing eyes! I am sorry to hear that your villagers did not take well to your smile! I am sure it is lovely! I would like to see it next time I come to Suna! I do not think you talk too much during naps! In fact, I would love to nap with you again soon! You are, as predicted, an excellent napping partner!_

Lee shook his hand out, surprised he had managed to get so much on the paper so quickly. He was already on his second piece of paper. Wondering what to say next, he lightly tapped the pen against his chin and scanned Gaara's letter once more to strike some inspiration. Once he read the bit about their courtship, he continued:

_I am glad you brought up our courtship to the council! If I am needed at all for a meeting for verification, I promise I will prove to them I am an excellent candidate, as my skills include: taijutsu, high stamina, charm, and supreme Kazekage Approved cuddles! Although, they do not have to know about that last part! I think they may find my big eyebrows and high spirits quite cute! Shall I bring my nice coat to your brother so he can tailor it right for me? I know you said it does not look correct! Thank you for bringing that to my attention!_

Lee heard a rap at his window and jumped. He turned to see the hawk from before peering in and stood up to crack the window open.

"Hello!" he said to the bird. It poked its head in. "Um. I suppose you can come in. I am almost done with the letter."

The hawk didn't seem to care, but it surveyed Lee's room from the window.

Lee returned to his small desk to finish up his letter:

_I have noticed it is getting late and your bird seems to want to head home! He is an excellent creature! I hope he knows this, even though I am afraid to pet him! Few challenges are worth losing my fingers!_

_Anyway, I miss you dearly and I will speak with Tsunade-sama about taking a leisure trip to Suna if I can! I am young, but I am capable! I will make the trip on my hands if I have to (although I probably will do so anyway)!_

_I think we should call each other youthful pet names as well! Perhaps it will make our relationship feel more official! How do you feel about "love," "sweetheart," or "baby"? I am not partial to any of them, but I will call you whatever you like! Do pet names exist in Suna? Please write back!_

_Love,  
Lee (taijutsu specialist and also your betrothed)_

_P.S. I love the "love" signature! It is bold, but I love bold!_

Lee gave the letter one last scan before smiling to himself, satisfied with his work. He wrote Gaara's name on the side and rolled the letter up carefully. He reached for a spool of bandages that were laying on his desk and ripped off a piece to tie it off. Grinning, he bounded over to the hawk, making it step back cautiously.

"Here you go!" Lee said happily.

The hawk turned around so Lee could slip the letter in its pouch. 

Lee smiled wide at the creature and waved as it took off. He shouted out to it, "Please get home safe!"

Lee stared off until he could not longer see the hawk sailing through the sky. He sighed wistfully for a moment, hoping his letter would bring Gaara just as much joy as Gaara's letter brought him.

That night as he drifted off, he hugged his pillow tight. He hoped Gaara was doing the same.


End file.
